Center for Teaching Excellence Executive Director Stacy Grooters has been elected as incoming president of the Professional and Organizational Development聽 Network in Higher Education, a national organization for educational developers such as those working in university teaching centers.
Stacy Grooters (Caitlin Cunningham)
Grooters was chosen by the organization鈥檚 Core Committee to serve a three-year term鈥攁s president-elect, president, and then past聽 president鈥攂eginning in June.
The POD Network is North America鈥檚聽 largest educational development community, supporting more than 1,500聽 members representing several hundred colleges and universities聽 throughout the United States and more than 30 countries.
鈥淭he POD Network has been invaluable to me as I have come to understand the聽 field, to do my own work, and to connect with others,鈥� said Grooters,聽 who became CTE executive director in 2020. 鈥淚ts culture of collaborative leadership has really helped inform my own development as a leader.鈥�
Since joining the POD Network in 2006, Grooters has presented at the organization鈥檚 annual conferences, received two grants, and held leadership roles such as chair of the diversity committee.
As聽 Grooters prepares to step into her new role, she identifies promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the organization as one of her top priorities.
鈥淥ne of the reasons I chose to put myself up for this leadership position at this point is because right now, POD is having a lot of really important conversations around diversity, equity, and聽 inclusion in the organization,鈥� said Grooters. 鈥淧OD has always seen聽 questions of inclusion, access, and diversity as core to its identity,聽 but like a lot of organizations, it鈥檚 still figuring out how to do that. I鈥檓 really excited to be able to step in and help make sure that we聽 follow through on that effort and that we make meaningful change from it.鈥�
Woods College of Advancing Studies Dean Karen Muncaster聽 praised Grooters on her appointment. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so impressive that Stacy聽 Grooters has been appointed as the new president of the POD Network,聽 which is one of the largest and oldest organizations dedicated to聽 educational development in the world. It not only reflects well on Stacy and the esteem in which she is held by the members who represent聽 hundreds of colleges and universities, but it highlights the importance聽 of quality, evidence-based teaching at 蜜桃传媒.鈥�
Christine Balquist | University Communications | February 2022